Tulsa, Okla. (10/18/12) – The Arkansas State University women’s tennis team began play in the 2012 Women’s ITA Central Regional Tournament Thursday, Oct. 18, starting with the qualifying singles first and second rounds.

Ioana Teu, Janie Nowland, and Biljana Miloshevska won their first round matches before dropping their respective second round matches.

Teu defeated Allison Murphy (Central Arkansas) 6-0, 6-1 in her first match and then squared off Morven McCulloch (Iowa) who defeated her 4-6, 6-4, (10-5) in second-round competition.

Nowland bested Lauren Wagner (Nebraska) 6-0, 6-4 in the first round, but fell to Natasha Tomishima (Southern Illinois) 6-4, 6-0 in the second round.

Miloshevska defeated Summer Schlotterback (Wichita State) 6-3, 6-1 in first round action, but then fell to Aria Lambert (Minnesota) 6-1, 6-2 in the second round.

“We did well today and had opportunities to win some great matches,” ASU tennis coach Marina Engelbrecht said.   “We need to learn to focus only on things we can control.  We’re looking forward to doubles tomorrow.”

Tamara Slijepcevic will play in the singles main draw against Petra Niedermayerova (Kansas State).  ASU will also have two doubles teams competing in the main draw.  Nowland and Teu will take on Christensen and Clark (Missouri) while Slijepcevic and Miloshevska square off against Niedermayerova and Kubickova (Kansas State).